Hello decor8 readers, it’s Agata here again and I can’t wait to share with you a new, interesting DIY idea to try! This time we will be dressing up mirrors. Are you ready? I’ve always loved decorating with mirrors, as apart from being stylish, they are very practical – they open up a room and reflect light, making each corner feel brighter and bigger. That’s probably the reason why I have at least one in each room. How many to you have at home? I particularly like the look of hanging mirrors in groups, in all possible shapes and versions. Whether they are modern or vintage, they add something a little more special than the standard framed ones so having one (or 3!) on your wall is a great way to show some character.

Agata Dimmich for decor8

Sometimes though, mirrors can be overpriced, so I always try to come up with alternative ways to ‘get the look’ without breaking the bank. If you are a little like me, a fan of budget-friendly DIYs with custom possibilities, I have a feeling you will like this one! Today I will show you how to make a set of 3 small, hanging mirrors with painted edges for a bit of non-traditional, unique look. They are very easy to make (no drilling or glass cutting), and the total budget for this project is around $10 for all 3! Continue Reading…

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Hey there everyone, this is Rachel and it was so lovely meeting you last month with my first column here on decor8. It is hard to believe that it’s March already and autumn here in Australia. I’m sure at lot of you are super excited for Spring and reading all of the wonderful ways to decorate your space for the season, while I’m feeling a little sad about the fact that I missed summer! Why? Well… Due to family commitments, I’ve spent a large chunk of time in Canada recently and got to experience my first real Canadian winter in lieu of an Australian summer. It’s not all bad though if you are a glass half full kinda person like me. I got to see a lot of snow and my hubby Matt made sure I partook in winter activities like tobogganing, snowball fights, trekking across frozen lakes and ice fishing. It was such a novelty for me to feel like a kid who’s seeing snow for the first time. Now that I’m back home in Oz, I’m making the most of enjoying what I like to call ‘the best time of year’ – the start of Autumn. The weather is really just simply delightful, so before the month is out I will be indulging on the last bit of summer produce.

Rachel Korinek for decor8

This month I wanted to share with you a little taste of Melbourne. Being a stunning food destination with a culture of eating out, both at restaurants and food festivals year round, there is an endless number of dishes that are synonymous with this great city. I’ve chosen something humble, attainable yet ever impressive: a Melbourne twist on avocado on toast.

Rachel Korinek for decor8

Rachel Korinek for decor8

The brunch café culture is strong in this city and Australian’s love their avocados, (or avos as we fondly refer to them, even on our commercials on TV with the tag line “av’ an avo today!”). So there is avo on toast in nearly every brunch destination you can imagine and they all speak uniquely to their diners. If you ask a Melbournian where the best avo on toast is in the city, there’ll all share a great detailed list with you of where and where not to go. What works and what doesn’t. Who has a new take and who seeks perfection in the simplistic.

My favorites have included incorporating it into hummus, with a side of candied bacon or oven roasted cauliflower with dukkah. Almost always accompanied with a poached egg. As a tribute to this great brunch recipe, I’ve chosen to share with you a combination of flavors: Edamame Avocado Hummus Toast with Pistachio Dukkah.

Rachel Korinek for decor8

These colors for sure will get you excited to enjoy the treasures of Spring and for those of us emerging out of summer, a one last ditch to savor the fruits of the season.

If you’ve got poached egg skills, why not serve with a side of runny egg goodness?

HOW TO Steam the edamame per instructions on the packet. Let cool slightly and gently run under cold water. Set aside. Meanwhile, to make the dukkah, add black sesame seeds, pistachio nuts, ground coriander and ground cumin to a bowl and mix. Season to taste and place in a little pinch bowl. Once the edamame has cooled; in a food processor, add olive oil, garlic, lime juice, edamame and avocado and blitz until combined. (Mixture should be thick and a little grainy). Add tahini and season to taste. Add a generous amount of hummus to slices of your favourite toasted bread, top with some finely sliced radishes, a pinch of dukkah and a snip of green herbs from your garden (if desired).

Rachel Korinek for decor8

Rachel Korinek for decor8

Rachel Korinek for decor8

I hope you love this and if you make it, please add a picture to Instagram and tag #twolovesstudio and #decor8eats so we see it and can like it and maybe follow you, too! I’ll be back on April 6th with another recipe from my kitchen to yours. In the meantime, have fun with Holly and her other columnists! See you soon again! – Rachel.

Today’s post is all about sprucing up my nest for spring and the 8 things that I recently ordered from American online shop, Lulu & Georgia, whom I love because they have the best taste in the world and curate the best products. And I love that. There is little from Lulu & Georgia that I would NOT buy, everything is just lovely. When they went above and beyond and shipped stuff to me in Germany, I was so pleased because lots of American products (like Jonathan Adler, Kate Spade, etc.) are not easy to find in stores here, and are non-existent in my city. If I drive over to Berlin, sure, I can find a few options but still, nothing like the great stuff Lulu & Georgia stocks so it was pure pleasure for me to be able to get stuff from America from one of my favorite web shops. Do you want to see glimpses of these 8 pretty things I have added to my home for Spring?

But first, I just love to spruce up my home in March to welcome the new season. March is also my birthday month (21st) and so I find it important to my emotional health to do some home detox around my birthday each year. In fact, I’ve been reorganizing a lot, throwing stuff away, donating things and in April, I’m even hosting a ‘hausflohmarkt’ in my home next month – a flea market! I can’t wait.

So… In the process of the detox, I’m also shopping online for replacement pieces. In fact, more than usual, because I find so many great products online. I LOVE that I don’t have to leave the house and carry back bags and boxes from stores. With a two-year-old that I take care of full-time, plus a business, I don’t have a ton of spare time to even shop or run errands during “normal” hours so I shop after he’s in bed each night from the comfort of my computer. It’s the BEST, I never knew how amazing online shopping really is until I had a baby. I have everything delivered from diapers to protein bars, and of course, decor items for my home, gifts for friends, you name it and I’ve most likely purchased it online. Are you shopping more online too because if you’re not, let this post inspire you to go for it!

Alright, so now the big show and tell. Would you like to see what I got from Lulu & Georgia for my Spring spruce up?

5. Mini Dot Dinner Napkins, Deep Sea (set of 4). 20×20, $23. I have 8 of these napkins and plan to use them for my next party. The dots are happy and fun!

6. Bayala Organic Cotton Tea Towel, 18×24, Deep Sea, $11. I love these tea towels for drying up the dishes and displaying on hooks in the kitchen for some pattern.

5.Alma Sheepskin Rug, White, 2×3 (shown above on my sofa) and 6.Tinke Rug, Ivory & Charcoal, 8×10 (in LOVE!). I really like putting sheepskin on the sofa, even in the Spring since it still gets so cool at night. Plus texture just is the best thing to integrate into a space when decorating – adds dimension and warmth without cluttering up a space. This rug is the bomb. I really cannot stop gushing over it. I never will replace this thing, it’s plush and I mean look at it, how gorgeous against hardwood floors?

8. OOH LA LA Tray, $74 – This tray is great for a coffee table because it can be a nice spot to lay the remote, though I removed the remote for the photo of course. :)

How do you like these things and even more, how do you imagine them in your home? Have you checked out Lulu & Georgia lately online? They are just beautiful. I will definitely shop with them again, I’m smitten for real.

Have a lovely day, I’m off to take my little boy to music class – bye!

(Photography & Styling: Holly Becker for decor8)

(Note: This post was sponsored by Lulu & Georgia. All product choices are my own. All opinions are my own.)

Hello and happy Monday dear readers! This is Anke with some March-inspired ideas for your coffee table, Easter gathering or any upcoming celebration with family and friends. This year still seems so very young to me – but Easter holidays are already in sight. Easter is a big deal in Germany and aside from its traditional meaning, it also makes us feel excited because when Easter comes we know that SPRING is in sight, which is so exciting, isn’t it? Easter lends a pretty good reason to set a Spring-like table in tender colors. And speaking of color, did you read that rose quartz is one of the two Pantone colors of the year for 2016? Their website said something rather interesting about their reasoning behind their pastel color choices, “As consumers seek mindfulness and well-being as an antidote to modern day stresses, welcoming colors that psychologically fulfill our yearning for reassurance and security are becoming more prominent.” I have to agree, rose is such a serene color and perfect for the spring tabletop. Leave your stress and worry behind, sit down, relax and enjoy… In fact, I did not hesitate to use rose quartz in my Easter tabletop shown below. I hope that it inspires you to try a little rose quartz at home, too.

As you notice in my columns each month, I always decorate this little corner in my dining room near the pocket doors where the bench is. I like to make that corner fit the decor I have on the table for a cohesive look. For this look, I’ve styled some pretty flowers, hard-boiled eggs and a simple handmade wreath on the wall. The giant pleated vase was given to me by a dear friend to use for this setting, my ultimate favorite — such an eye catcher, don’t you think? It was on the table when guests arrived, but to make room for serving, I moved it over to the bench as decor. I created a loose arrangement of ranunculus, tulips, pussy willow, white anemones, wax flowers, eucalyptus and catkin branches.

While creating this look, I discovered that wax flower is a dream candidate when it comes to crafting with flowers. The fine branches are very flexible and the flowers durable. You will find them in white and pink and in my opinion, nothing is easier than making tiny wreaths out of wax flowers! I’ve even used them to embellish the breakfast eggs on each guests’ plate.

As Easter breakfast may be more opulent than usual I thought Raspberry-Cream and Almond Sponge Cake might be a good idea! On top you see fresh raspberries and sugar-coated nougat eggs. This candy is very popular in Germany at Easter, they are called Möveneier (seagull eggs) and I love their speckled surface. The plates are simple white ceramic, topped with speckled gray plates from House Doctor to mimic the speckled chocolate egss on the table. For an simple, quick and classy Easter decoration I placed some edible white eggs over a simple white linen tablecloth. The eggs are hard-boiled and I cleaned the shell with pure household vinegar.

How will you spend your Easter holidays, dear readers? I’m afraid I will be away from home working, but hey – I had some Easter spirit already when decorating this table for decor8, right? ;) Have a beautiful month of March and I will see you again on April 4th with another entertaining at home idea for your tabletop! – Anke

Hello dear decor8 readers! My name is Anastasia Benko and I am a stylist, artist and vintage shop owner based in Germany. Holly’s blog has always been a constant source of inspiration to me and I am honored to be part of the amazing team of decor8 now! In my monthly flower column for decor8 I will create seasonally appropriate floral arrangements that will hopefully inspire you to bring the outdoors into your home too!

Before I share my first arrangement with you, I’d like to tell you a little more about my philosophy. For my arrangements I love to use what my surroundings offer. For me, a house doesn’t feel like a home without flowers and plants! This is also the reason why you always find natural elements in my home, I never come home empty handed from my walks in the nearby forest. I love to challenge myself and try to stick to the changing seasons to reflect the nature of the season. Of course there are occasions where only a lush flower arrangement makes sense but I also think that branches can make a huge impression and almost look like beautifully arranged sculptures.

After several years of working with flowers and plants I realized that no matter what time of the year, I am always drawn to wreaths. Wreaths have the most perfect form for me, a circle that is connecting one end with another – it’s beautiful but yet complex. This time I wanted to make 2 super-sized wings out of eucalyptus that can be arranged in two different ways: an open half wreath and a more wreath-like, round installation. These are my mood boards I created for the stylings: Continue Reading…

Hi everyone, it’s Gintare with a new recipe that can hopefully help us all to welcome the long-awaited spring that is soon to come. It’s still very much winter here in the Swiss alps, a snowless one, I might add, but I just came back from visiting my family in Provence where there is a distinct spring vibe lingering in the air. Every March, while the fields and trees are still bare, and lavender is missing its purple hues, yet there are almond trees blooming all around. They’re like messengers of spring and rather pretty to look at. I always try to catch the groves for the most spectacular sightings, but this time I only caught a few lonely trees on a hill close by… Yet was enough to get me inspired to use almonds in something in the kitchen.

Having stumbled upon a few rhubarb stalks and blood oranges in a market on the way back, I decided that a rhubarb, blood orange and almond crumble would be my creation. Blood orange and rhubarb season overlaps just a little, making them a wonderful dessert pairing, as blood oranges have a bit more gusto than the regular oranges. Not to mention that a crumble is possibly the easiest and most comforting dessert to rustle up quickly.

To save time (and washing up) I usually mix everything up in the same baking tin and sprinkle with the crumble. Half an hour later the bubbly and heart warming dessert awaits and only calls for a generous dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. A word must be said about mint in this dish. I find that so many desserts employ mint purely for its lovely look though it does close to nothing to the dish itself. In some cases, mint not only adds zero to the dish but also puts the whole dessert out of balance. Here, on the other hand, mint is an ingredient on its own and adds a wonderful freshness and even more of a spring feeling to this sweet plate. So, if you happen to have rhubarbs and blood oranges at hand, I cannot recommend enough to make it but also to add some mint.

Note: This dessert, has just enough sweetness to balance the sour notes of rhubarb, but it is not very sweet, so you cannot taste only sugar. If you do fancy extremely sweet desserts, you might want to add a bit of extra sugar to it.

Variations: Once blood oranges are out of the picture and strawberries come to farmstands, you can make the same crumble by switching blood oranges with 1 ½ cup of sliced strawberries and ¼ cup of crème de cassis liquor.

MAKE: Preheat the oven to 180°C/375°F. Slice rhubarb and mix it with orange zest, sugar, corn-starch and juice. In separate bowl, mix butter, flour and sugar together, till crumbs form and then mix in almond flakes. You could also do it in a food processor, but it’s rather quick and this way there’s less washing up to do.

FINISH: Top rhubarb with crumble and bake for about 30 minutes, till it’s browned and bubbly. Take out of the oven and let it rest for a few minutes. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream and fresh mint.

Please feel free to share on your social media if you love this recipe, we’d appreciate the love and I’d like to see my recipe make it into kitchens all over because it’s so yummy! See you on March 30th with another recipe from my kitchen to yours, decor8 readers! – Gintare.

About

I’m Holly Becker, and I work as a journalist, author and interior stylist with a 4th book soon to release this September. On decor8, I share decorating ideas, trends and beautiful objects and places - those extra special finds, often made by hand, things that tell a story. I'm lucky enough to travel frequently so I record my many adventures here, too. Together with my small team, we present daily content to enlighten and inspire. Welcome and happy decor8ing!

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